European conservatives appeal for Albania:

President Berisha writes to Kostov: The victory of the Bulgarian democrats: an achievement against communism On the occasion of the victory of the United Democratic Forces in Sunday’s elections, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, sent the following telegram to Mr. Ivan Kostov, in which, among other things, he wrote: The victory of the United Democratic Forces in Bulgaria represents a great and historic achievement of the Bulgarian people against communism and toward the future it deserves. It also marks an achievement for democracy and for the friends of the United Democratic Forces of Bulgaria in the Balkans and Europe.

Apart from the constant threat from the armed committees: Apart from the constant threat from the armed committees: The PS calls for an irregular electoral process The parliamentary elections envisaged in the 9 March agreement, to be concluded at the end of June, are being seriously demanded not only by the “Military Committees” but also by the PS and its allies. A series of question marks weigh on the electoral process, because through its top leaders it aims for the Bosnian or Palestinian model to be applied in these elections, which means, more or less, irregular elections, not free, not fair, and not an expression of the free will of the people through the ballot. The general political elections of June, according to the Chairman of the PS, must be similar to the Bosnian or Palestinian model of elections! It is by no means difficult to understand that this analogy constitutes the creation of the most dangerous precedent at the national level, while in political terms it seeks to turn Albania not back to yesterday, but 70 years back. In Albania, since 1991 to the present day, 6 electoral processes have been held, which have gradually improved not only in the fundamental elements of an election campaign, but above all in the responsibility and awareness of people regarding the fact that these elections, in order to represent and because one prefers this type of election, are expressed through their vote. Going backwards in this respect, with the so-called Bosnian and Palestinian models, constitutes the heaviest blow that can be dealt to Albanian democracy. Not simply because these models do not constitute a normal electoral process (which is why they are called models), but because this kind of electoral process, not only for political reasons, is called regular and acceptable, and reduces the political expression and the Albanian voter’s vote to nothing more than political and diplomatic justificatory rhetoric to impose a style of governance based on preconceived and predetermined combinations, outside the integrity of the electoral process. In Albania, voting has been systematically held since 1991. The electoral processes that have taken place constitute the greatest achievement of Albanian democracy and of Albanians’ integration into the civilized societies of the West. Of the 6 electoral processes held (including the Referendum), in parliamentary or local elections, only the elections of 26 May were severely affected by the Stalinist boycott of the vote-counting process, causing, among the Albanian socialist electorate, the greatest disappointment over the fatal betrayal of the trust placed in these voters. It is precisely this crisis of trust of the socialist electorate toward the leaders of this party that seems to be pushing Mr. Nano to panic and to call for dangerous acts concerning the normality of the electoral process. The PS committees that withdrew from the vote-counting process by an unprecedented political decision disappointed the socialist electorate, which was shaken in its political trust in the Euro-socialist alternative. The quiet elections in which the PS lost by a very large margin prove precisely this fact, which Mr. Nano seeks to overcome with provocative, nationally and politically dishonest proposals. The calculations made by the PS and Nano regarding the upcoming elections with the so-called Bosnian model, and the fact that it seeks to activate the armed wing as the most effective means of manipulating the electoral process and installing an irregular electoral process in Albania, should be regarded as an element of direct threat to Albanian democratic standards, but also as a fundamental element of electoral annihilation. As such, it is not only unacceptable, but highly dangerous.

The statement by the President of the EUCD was made at the meeting of the governing council of this organization, which held its proceedings from 16 to 20 April in Bratislava, Slovakia. A delegation from the PDSH, led by its Secretary General Gen Pollo, was present at this meeting. The PDSH is a full member of the EUCD, which includes center-right and right-wing parties from all European countries. The European democrats supported the position of the PDSH, which sees the so-called rebel committees of the South as an obstacle to the holding of new elections. The so-called “committees” constitute the armed wing of the PS, which signed an agreement with them on 28 March and which it currently continues to support politically. European democrats have rejected as impossible the claims of the left opposition, which is seeking the holding of elections by drawing parallels with Bosnia or Palestine. The Democratic Party has declared that it is ready for the elections to be held within the set deadline and that it remains faithful to the 9 March agreement. One of the points of the agreement is also the disarmament of the population, which has still not been made possible by the Government of National Reconciliation led by the Socialist Prime Minister, Fino. Wim Van Velzen, President of the EUCD European conservatives, in a statement by its president (EUCD) Wim Van Velzen on political developments in Albania, state that “the disarmament of the rebels of the south is a condition for holding new parliamentary elections. Fino, the way you are acting, you cannot take Albania to elections Page 3 Wim Van Velzen, President of the EUCD

The dismissal of General Shehu is invalid The Government spokesman, in a press statement on behalf of the government, has reaffirmed the Prime Minister’s position regarding Council of Ministers Decision No. 168, dated 19.04.1997, on the release from duty of the Deputy Minister of the Interior, the General Director of Police, considering this decision lawful. The President of the Republic’s spokesman, regarding this statement, has argued and used, if..., that the state decision is lawful and that in the current mandate of the Prime Minister the government, the President alone appoints ministers, is authorized to inform the public that this decision, on the basis of the main constitutional provisions of the Albanian state and the legislation in force, is unlawful. Despite the opinion of the Prime Minister’s spokesman, this decision was taken by the Government by unlawfully exploiting an exclusive competence of the President of the Republic. This competence is based not only on Article 32 of the law “On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania,” which recognizes the President’s right to appoint, transfer and release from duty officers of high rank, but also on Albanian legislation, in particular the conclusion that at least for some of those the Government was aware of the lack of a legal basis for this decision. Likewise, the Government was aware of the fact that the Deputy Minister of the Interior and the General Director of Police had been appointed to these posts by decree of the President of the Republic, as the appointing authority, and by strictly following the relevant legal procedure. Consequently, the Prime Minister’s spokesman should take into consideration the fact that, by law, this presidential decree takes precedence over the Government’s decision, instead of trying to use legal notions such as that of an “administrative act with constitutional right,” which unfortunately appear abundantly in his statement. The President of the Republic considers that constitutional and legal cooperation between the institution of the President of the Republic and that of the Prime Minister or the Government in appointing senior public administration officials is an indispensable guarantee for achieving checks and balances among the powers, as well as for the normal functioning of institutions.

By now Albanians and the world know well who the authors and actors of the overall scenario, all the way to barbarity and anti-nationalism, are, and who sponsored and carried it out. Not only Vlora, but all of Albania and the world are now thoroughly and accurately informed about the generals and other bosses of the army of the rebels, mountaineers or mercenaries, and how heavily the present of Albert Shyti, Lefter Zani and their companions is burdened with crimes and swindles Page 3

Interior Minister Çelo left for Italy At the invitation of the Italian Minister of the Interior, Mr. Napolitano, our Interior Minister, Mr. Belul Çelo, left yesterday for a visit to Italy. He will also have meetings with other high-ranking personalities of the Italian government. Minister of Defense Andreata, etc.

Segments of the far left of the Albanian opposition are the instigators and participants in the stirring up of divisive feelings and in the organization of armed terror. The leaders of the bankrupt pyramid firms, leaders of military committees Segments of the far left of the Albanian opposition are the instigators and participants in the stirring up of divisive feelings and the organization of armed terror. At the head of this activity are former employees of the notorious State Security, former chairmen or even current chairmen of the PS in the districts. We recall that the following are active in Lushnjë: Asllan Haxhia, former chairman of the PS of the district; Ballsh: Astrit Hajdini, chairman of the PS of the district; Elbasan: Kozma Elba, PS candidate in the previous elections. Berat: Bashkim Meto, member of the Socialist Party; Tepelenë: Gjolekë Malaj, former senior officer of Hoxha’s secret police regime; Gjirokastër: Agim Gozhita, former senior officer of Hoxha’s regime; Sarandë: Xhevat Koçiu, former senior officer of Hoxha’s regime; Fier: Petro Koçi, chairman of the PS of the district Page 4

“Do not allow the return of the former communists to power, because if that happens, you will share Bulgaria’s bad fate” Page 3

Mr. Vukaj must choose between two alternatives: